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Connecticut

We now have our own Linked In group. You'll find us at Editorial Freelancers Association, Connecticut Chapter. Please join us.

Activities of EFA's Connecticut chapter will be posted here. For additional information, contact Faith Williams, chapter coordinator, at chap_connecticut AT the-efa.org. You must be an EFA member to join an EFA chapter. Chapter events are open to all members, guests of members, and freelancers interested in joining EFA.

Next Meeting

Summer Networking

Thursday, August 24, 2017 (7:00 pm)

Join your fellow freelancers in talking about our strategies, insights, helpful tools and software, and general advice. This meeting (7 to 8:45 pm) will be at the New Britain Library, 20 High Street, New Britain CT in the Community Room (on the ground floor).

The Library is located in downtown New Britain on the corner of West Main and High Streets. It is two blocks from City Hall. Free parking is available behind the library (follow the driveway between the YMCA and the library). Metered parking is available on the street. Contact Faith Williams (fwilliams@theatwatergroup.com) with any questions.

Previous Meetings

Cookout/Potluck Dinner

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Join the group at a cookout/potluck in Oxford. Share a meal and get to know your fellow freelancers!

Burgers, hot dogs, and drinks (soda/water) will be provided. Bring an appetizer, side dish, or dessert to share. RSVP by July 15 to fwilliams@theatwatergroup.com. (Address will be provided when you RSVP)

Copyright & Permissions

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

The topic of our June 6 meeting will be copyright and permissions – how to protect your own work, and how to use the work of others without running afoul of the law. Whether you have extensive experience or are new to this aspect of publishing, here’s your chance to bring your questions and ask for guidance.
Norwalk resident Elsa Peterson has more than 20 years of experience in textbook and academic publishing as a freelance permissions editor, picture researcher, and developmental editor. Her EFA Booklet Copyright and Permissions: What Every Writer and Editor Should Know is a brief and accessible guide to copyright in the context of publishing, including a guide to obtaining permissions.

If you are interested in purchasing a booklet before the meeting, you can find it online at:
Barnes and Noble
Amazon
Lulu

Limited quantities may be available for purchase at the meeting.
Disclaimer: Elsa Peterson is not a lawyer. Nothing in her book or any of her presentations is intended as legal advice.

2017 Goals and Networking

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Our next meeting, scheduled for Thursday, January 19 at 7 pm, will be at the Westport Library (in the Seminar Room in the upper level - our "regular" room). In addition to our regular networking, let's talk about our professional goals for 2107 and our future chapter meeting topics.

Feel free to bring a beverage of your choice or a dessert to share.
RSVP Faith Williams at fwilliams@theatwatergroup.com

Winter Networking

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Let's get caught up. Join us for a networking meeting - reconnect with old friends and make some new ones. We'll talk about business development, marketing and anything else related to sustaining our editing business.

Location: Westport Library, 20 Jesup Rd., Westport, Connecticut 06880

Time: 7-9 p.m.

As usual, coffee will be provided, and desserts are welcome.

R.S.V.P. Gail Harris at gharris@fresheyesreview.com

Fall Networking and Website Discussion

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Join us for networking and a discussion about websites. We'll be looking at some sites put up by Connecticut members. If you'd like to share yours, please send the url in an email to the address below before the meeting.

Location: Westport Library, 20 Jesup Rd., Westport, Connecticut 06880

Time: 7-9 p.m.

As usual, coffee will be provided, and desserts are welcome.

R.S.V.P. Gail Harris at gharris@fresheyesreview.com

Welcome Spring with Some Networking

Thursday, May 7, 2015

It's been some time since our last meeting. Let welcome Spring with a networking meeting so we can all get caught up. If you've learned something new that you'd like to share, any tricks/shortcuts, especially with Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat, will win applause.

Date: Thursday, May 7, 2015
Time: 7 to 9 p.m.

Location: Westport Library, 20 Jesup Rd., Westport, Connecticut 06880

As usual, coffee will be provided and desserts are welcome.

Please R.S.V.P. to gharris@fresheyesreview.com.

Networking Plus Learning Again

Thursday, October 23, 2014

We all learned some new tricks at our last meeting, so we're doing it again. Any tricks/shortcuts, especially with Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat, will win applause. So. . .if you're up for it, learn something new before our meeting, and come prepared to share it with everyone. If you haven't the time or inclination to do that, come anyway. Bring your laptop, and we'll learn some things together.

Networking Plus Learning Again

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

We all learned some new tricks last month, so we're doing it again. Any tricks/shortcuts, especially with Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat, will win applause. So. . .if you're up for it, learn something new before our meeting, and come prepared to share it with everyone. If you haven't the time or inclination to do that, come anyway. Bring your laptop, and we'll learn some things together.

Networking Plus Learning

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat are the cornerstone of our work. Wouldn’t it be nice to learn some new tricks? So. . .if you’re up for it, learn something new before our meeting, and come prepared to share it with everyone. If you haven’t the time or inclination to do that, come anyway. Bring your laptop, and we’ll learn some things together.

What's Everyone Up To?

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

As our cold, snowy winter slowly draws to a close, let's get together for some networking. This will be an informal meeting. Rather than having an invited speaker, we'll talk about the things that keep our business growing:

What kind of networking and/or marketing are you doing?

What new skills have you added or do you want to add to your repertoire?

Do you have a business plan or are you thinking about making one?

Please plan to join us, and if there are other topics you'd like to add to our agenda, send me a note.

Coffee will be provided; snacks will be welcome. Location is Westport Library, 20 Jesup Avenue.

R.S.V.P. Gail Harris -- gharris@fresheyesreview.com/203-858-9425

What Makes a Memoir Salable?

Monday, December 9, 2013

More and more people these days are writing memoirs. Which is a good thing, because the market for well-written memoirs--not just by celebrities--continues to be strong. Agents are always on the lookout for the next The Glass Castle or The Tender Bar.

But telling the story of one's life, no matter how remarkable, is not enough to keep a reader engaged. To accomplish that, the memoir must contain the same dramatic elements as a page-turning novel.

For the memoir writer, this can pose a dilemma. To be called a memoir, the story must be absolutely true. But how does one craft the true story of a life into a publishable memoir that a reader will want to buy, read to the end, and most important, recommend to others?

This talk by author Jessica Bram will discuss how to write a compelling and publishable memoir, what agents look for in a salable memoir, and the pitfalls and particular challenges faced by the memoir writer.

Jessica Bram is author of Happily Ever After Divorce: Notes of a Joyful Journey, published by Health Communications, Inc., first-prize winner in the 2010 Connecticut Press Club Award in the Adult Nonfiction (Biography & Autobiography) category. Along with her own writing, Jessica Bram teaches a master class in personal essay and memoir writing at the Westport Writers' Workshop, which she founded in 2004. She is also an editor and private writing consultant.

Where: Westport Library, 20 Jesup Road, Westport, CT

This will be a dessert potluck. Please bring fruit or a dessert to share. Coffee will be served.

RSVP: Gail Harris * gharris@fresheyesreview.com * 203-858-9425

MEET AUTHOR JUDY MANDEL: A SELF-PUBLISHING SUCCESS STORY

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Judy Mandel will speak about writing her touching memoir, Replacement Child. Judy is the replacement child for her sister, who was killed. It would be years before she understood how the tragic accident that happened before she was born shaped her life and her relationships. The previously unknown author first self-published Replacement Child as an eBook in 2011, after being told by agents "I don't think I can sell it." After selling thousands of copies as an eBook, Judy found that the agents and publishers changed their minds and offered her a healthy advance for her memoir.

Judy's writing life began as a reporter. She later worked in public relations and advertising and somehow found herself in corporate communications at various insurance companies, where she earned a living for 20 years. Her memoir grew out of early essays and the promise she made to her family to tell the story. Judy now balances her business writing for clients with writing fiction, nonfiction and articles from her home in Connecticut.

The meeting will be held at the Russell Library, 123 Broad Street, Middletown, CT. For directions, http://russelllibrary.org/about_us/directions.html or call 860-347-2528.

This will be a dessert potluck. Please bring fruit or a dessert to share. Coffee will be served.
Fee: $10 at the door.
RSVP: Gail Harris * gharris@fresheyesreview.com * 203-858-9425

How to Design, Edit, Distribute, Market, & Sell E-books

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Learn how to publish an e-book with award-winning author and writing instructor, Marcelle Soviero. A successful self-published author, Ms. Soviero will go through each step involved in publishing an e-book (and print book, if desired) in a cost-effective manner. Attendees will learn how to prepare manuscripts for varied digital formats and how to design, distribute, market and sell the book in traditional and alternative channels. Ms. Soviero will also share insights from her own experience. Participants will leave with details and tactics needed to self-publish their work.

Ms. Soviero is the Editor-in-Chief of Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers and the author of An Iridescent Life: Essays on Motherhood and Stepmotherhood. She is an award-winning essayist who has published in The New York Times, National Public Radio, The Huffington Post, Salon.com, Eating Well, Literary Mama and Babble.com.

The meeting will be held at the Westport Library, 20 Jessup Road, Westport, CT. This will be a dessert potluck. Please bring one to share. Coffee will be served.

RSVP: Gail Harris 203-858-9425 gharris@fresheyesreview.com

SOCIAL MEDIA: A LOOK AT THE PURPOSE, PRIVACY, AND PITFALLS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

A brief, interactive overview of several social media opportunities, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and blogs. Bring your laptop and join us as we explore the power of social media to promote your services and help you connect with other professionals in the field. Discussions will include the topic of privacy and how to separate your personal web presence from your professional life; how to avoid a bad reputation online; and determining what social sites to join.

You are encouraged to bring light refreshments. Beer and wine will be provided.

Directions to 11 Mountain Laurel Drive, Middletown:
Take Route 9 south to exit 11 (Randolph Rd.) Turn right at the bottom of the exit ramp and go up the hill to the end of the road at the traffic light. Turn right onto Saybrook Rd., make an immediate angled right onto Bartholomew, and drive exactly two miles up the long and winding road. The street is on the left right across from a 25 mph sign. Number 11 is a dark green house on the corner with stone walls in front. The street is private with lots of parking available on the road.

Tips & Tricks of the Trade

Thursday, May 23, 2013

We'll share information about tricks and tools of the trade. Bring examples of the references that are important in your niche of the publishing world, sample style sheets, websites and other tools you use to organize information for editing, writing, indexing, project coordination, marketing, and business & financial record-keeping. Do you have firsthand experience using macros, time-tracker programs or project management software? Do you have editing or writing efficiency tricks? Bring your discoveries and hints to share with other participants.

Bring your laptop or look on with another freelancer. This will be a dessert potluck. Coffee will be provided. Please bring a dessert to share.

Where: Westport Library
20 Jesup Rd., Westport, CT

RSVP Gail Harris gharris@fresheyesreview.com or 203-858-9425

10 Tips for Pricing Success

Monday, April 22, 2013

Laurie Lewis, author of What to Charge: Pricing Strategies for Freelancers and Consultants, will speak on how to figure out a price for your services so that it is acceptable to both you and your client. Laurie has decades of medical editing and writing experience and has served twice on the EFA Board of Directors. Her award-winning book will be available for purchase.

A light meal will be provided, and you are invited to bring a dessert to share. $5 admission will be charged.

Location: First Church of Christ, Congregational, 190 Court St., Middletown.

See the church website for driving directions: www.firstchurchucc.org/directions.html. There's a municipal lot across from the church, and street parking is free starting at 6 pm.

Please RSVP to Jon Hartmann at jon@editovereasy.com.

Social Media: A Look at the Purpose, Privacy, and Pitfalls for the Professional

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Faith Williams and Elisabeth Kauffman will be presenting an interactive overview of several social media opportunities, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and blogs. Bring your laptop and join us as we explore what the power of social media can do for your business, in both promoting your services and connecting with other professionals in the field. Discussions will include the topic of privacy and how to separate your personal web presence from your professional life; how to avoid a bad reputation online; and determining what social sites to join.

The meeting will be held at the Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton, CT 06897. Coffee will be served.

No fee.

Please RSVP to Gail Harris at gharris@fresheyesreview.com

BRANDING AND MARKETING TIPS

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Stamford-based motivational speaker and business consultant Julie Jansen will discuss how to brand and market yourself using traditional methods as well as social media.

Ms. Jansen is the author of several books, including, "I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Gratifying Work." She has also written a workplace instructional booklet series which focuses on networking, image, delegation and time management. She has appeared on "The Today Show," MSNBC, NPR, CNN Financial News among others and been interviewed by many publications, including Fortune Magazine and The New York Times.

Place: Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton, CT

Cost: $20

Coffee will be served. Desserts to share will be welcome.

RSVP by contacting Gail Harris at 203-858-9425 or gharris@fresheyesreview.com.

Hartford Area Networking

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Topic: Hartford Area Networking
Place: Home of Nancy Breininger in Middletown (she’ll send you her address when you RSVP)
Time: 2 pm – 4 pm
This is a chance for writers & editors in the Hartford area to meet each other and learn about each other’s work – and maybe even get referrals. Don’t forget your business cards.
RSVP: nancy@nbproofread.com

Show & Tell

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Place: Wilton Library
137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton, CT 06897

This will be a dessert potluck. Coffee will be provided. Please bring a dessert to share.

Agenda: Show and Tell
Bring your business cards and brochures. Also bring the url of any writer/editor websites you like. A computer and big screen will be available. We will look at each other's websites to share, praise, critique and discuss what works in promoting freelance editing services (idea borrowed from the Rochester chapter). We'll also discuss plans for a CT EFA newsletter.